<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-13</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000894743</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEOWARE SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NWRE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001236828</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WRABLEY MATTHEW D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NEOWARE SYSTEMS INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>400 FEHELEY DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KING OF PRUSSIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19406</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Exec. VP of Sales</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.41</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">7,500 of these options become exercisable on each of 8/13/2004, 8/13/2005, 8/13/2006 and 8/13/2007.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Not applicable.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Vincent T. Dolan, Attorney-in-Fact for Matthew D. Wrabley</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

